SAMUT PRAKAN, Jan 24 (TNA) – A disruption in the immigration biometrics system occurred early Wednesday morning at Suvarnabhumi Airport, leading to a buildup of passengers and prompting swift efforts to address the issue.

 

Pol Maj Gen Choengron Rimpadee, commander of immigration officers at the international airport said the system was currently undergoing repairs, causing delays at the immigration counters. This, in turn, extended the time required for the processing of passport checks from the usual 45 seconds per person to over 1 minute.

 

 

The malfunction primarily impacted the Automated channels for passport checks, leading to severe congestion during peak flight hours, particularly for outbound passengers. The situation escalated quickly, resulting in long queues extending to the baggage inspection points.

The Immigration Technology Center, overseeing the affected technology system has expedited the resolution. Simultaneously, Suvarnabhumi Airport’s immigration checkpoints took immediate action according to their contingency plans, resorting to manual checks conducted by immigration officers and utilizing the airport’s application to identify individuals with potential issues such as warrants or overstays.

 

Source: Thai News Agency 2024-01-24

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

 

Not sure if it is connected, but the TM 30 online reporting system was also down today.

Good old Thai apps.

And the banks/government insist on you using them.

Biometric system glitch at Suvarnabhumi Airport causes passenger delays
by Nattapong Westwood

 

Photo courtesy of Matichon

 

Suvarnabhumi International Airport faced significant disruptions early this morning when its biometric immigration system malfunctioned, causing delays and a rapid build-up of passengers. Immigration police swiftly implemented contingency measures to mitigate the impact on flight schedules.

 

In the predawn hours of yesterday, Suvarnabhumi Airport’s immigration department was thrown into chaos as the biometric system encountered technical issues around 4.30am. Chaired by Chaiyapruek Rimphadee, the Immigration Division 2 leader and spokesperson for the Immigration Bureau, a swift response was initiated to address the malfunctioning system.

 

Photo courtesy of Matichon

 

Normally, the processing time from presenting a passport to receiving a stamped clearance by immigration officers at Suvarnabhumi Airport takes no more than 45 seconds per individual. However, due to the system failure, the time required per passenger exceeded one minute. The breakdown also affected the automatic passport control channels, which were unable to function, resulting in extended queues that stretched back to the baggage screening areas, reported KhaoSod.

As passengers bound for international flights quickly accumulated, the queues extended significantly from the usual immigration counters starting from 4.30am. The Immigration Division 2 communicated with the Immigration Checkpoint Technology Center, which oversees the biometric technology, urging an urgent resolution.

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2024-01-25

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

 

This Is Thailand....

“ takes no more than 45”  ? I’m very sorry but it’s certainly more than 2/3 minutes per passenger. All docs in order and never had a problem , travel often internationally, I’ve always been amazed at the time it takes to clear me.  Don’t they ( government/ immigration) feel ashamed when they see such horrendous queues at their airports ? Maybe a silly question, they don’t give a damn.

2 hours ago, flyingtlger said:

This Is Thailand....

These blips can happen anywhere. Totally agree Thai systems are often very poor but this type of incident isn't unique to Thailand. 

This could happen not only in Thailand! 

It seems highly unlike that a 15 second discrepancy per passport would result in those lines but, I wasn't there and could be wrong,

 

 

"Normally, the processing time from presenting a passport to receiving a stamped clearance by immigration officers at Suvarnabhumi Airport takes no more than 45 seconds per individual. However, due to the system failure, the time required per passenger exceeded one minute"

We older guys can go straight through priority lane 😀

I never noticed that a passportchecking would only take 45 seconds.. 2 to 5 minutes seems to be normal, with pictures and fingerprintgs and a grumpy officer...Anyway Thailand and computers don't match

I've been in queues like that even when it was working - usually due to unstaggered staff change overs and them sat laughing at the people waiting for them to do something in their shift  !

40 minutes ago, geisha said:

“ takes no more than 45”  ? I’m very sorry but it’s certainly more than 2/3 minutes per passenger. All docs in order and never had a problem , travel often internationally, I’ve always been amazed at the time it takes to clear me.  Don’t they ( government/ immigration) feel ashamed when they see such horrendous queues at their airports ? Maybe a silly question, they don’t give a damn.

They are not conditioned to be ashamed. Any and all stuffups are treated swiftly  yardy yardy, just another day at the office. TIT. Tomorrow will probably see a claim for being number one tourist destination,  the show goes on folks.

2 hours ago, flyingtlger said:

This Is Thailand....

Like it never happens elsewhere...... regular event in the UK!

7 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

Not sure if it is connected, but the TM 30 online reporting system was also down today.

Good old Thai apps.

And the banks/government insist on you using them.

In fairness the Thai banks, green and blue, have their stuff together. Apps and online work pretty darn well. Government, well... I agree with you there.

I'm stunned!

And TAT wonders why tourism is down... get off your asses and go to the airports and IOs and pay attention... 3 hours to get a residence certificate in CM yesterday.

11 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

This, in turn, extended the time required for the processing of passport checks from the usual 45 seconds per person to over 1 minute.

So the system crashed and delayed passengers by only 15 seconds for a manual service?

Two years in a row I arrived at LAX and a computer malfunction meant I wait in line for two hours. The first time, the IO asked how long I'd been waiting and I said two hours and  I wasn't coming back, and he said 'I hear you'. I did come back though, and the next time I told the IO I'd missed my connecting flight and he told me it didn't matter. And I didn't go back. Especially after an x-ray machine thought silver paper on some mints was a security threat. If their security couldn't tell the difference between paper and explosives ...... 

Ha...typical. prob has to do with more "upgrades" and "streamlining". 😆

56 minutes ago, Skipalongcassidy said:

And TAT wonders why tourism is down... get off your asses and go to the airports and IOs and pay attention... 3 hours to get a residence certificate in CM yesterday.

But surely there's no need for tourists to get a residence certificate?

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

Like it never happens elsewhere...... regular event in the UK!

Finnair desk at MAN was diabolical.  Aged 80, I stood for  over an hour whilst a gobby farang woman argued with staff over seating her family en route to BKK.  The fracas attracted staff from other desks till this one was the sole operating outlet.  Throw in the jumped-up little Hitlers on the security queues; surly other staff; scruffy litter-strewn environment and you can see why landing in Bangkok was a breeze for pensioners.

Based on the two photos in the OP, it looks like this glitch affected both Departing Immigration and Arriving Immigration.

 

Another black-eye for Thailand's aspirations to hit 40 million this year.

 

 

 

 

A country who has over 28 millions tourists visiting, not counting locals, has only one system in place,

and when this is down, well, bad luck, a place to start from for the new AOT boss... 

 

1 hour ago, Polaky said:

We older guys can go straight through priority lane 😀

What are the requirements for passing through the priority lanes?

1 hour ago, Hockeybik said:

In fairness the Thai banks, green and blue, have their stuff together. Apps and online work pretty darn well. Government, well... I agree with you there.

BBL still uses DOS for all of their in house banking. 

2 hours ago, madmitch said:

These blips can happen anywhere. Totally agree Thai systems are often very poor but this type of incident isn't unique to Thailand. 

Are crazy? Do toy want to start a riot? 

Where do you get off talking sense in this forum? 

Consider yourself reported !!

Edited January 25, 20242 yr by sirineou

Highly objectionable, a ridiculous system, can imagine there will be plenty of tourists who will think again before booking another trip to Thailand.

1 hour ago, Skipalongcassidy said:

And TAT wonders why tourism is down... get off your asses and go to the airports and IOs and pay attention... 3 hours to get a residence certificate in CM yesterday.

3 days at Jomtien seriously, they want everyone to use agents. No bung for them in people doing it themselves. Immigration and whole country rotten to the core.

I usually have good luck in Thailand, and the staff work pretty hard.

  Handling a bunch of crotchity old grumps, like some of you posters,

would drive me to drink. I had worse luck in Vancouver, BC Canada.

Long wait and bad attitudes plus freezing temperatures.

 We all need the airports to get to our chosen tropical 

destinations.

47 minutes ago, NedR69 said:

What are the requirements for passing through the priority lanes?

Wheelchair, Over 70 or white stick and dark glasses.